BBC Cymru Wales delves into the nation’s modern history-makers with two new documentaries

BBC Cymru Wales announced two brand new factual programmes during the Wales Screen Summit; a documentary focussing on one of Wales’ most accomplished artists, Gwen John and a two-part series on the musical revolution the press called “Cool Cymru”.

Presented by BBC Radio 1’s Sian Eleri, Gwen John (w/t) delves into the extraordinary life of the trailblazing Welsh artist whose intimate portraits captured women’s lives in a way that few artists of her time achieved.

Coinciding with a major exhibition of her work at Amgueddfa Cymru, titled Gwen John: Strange Beauties, the documentary explores the woman behind the work.

From her early life in Tenby and her training at London’s Slade School of Art – where she became part of a new wave of women gaining access to formal art education – to her move to Paris, where she developed her distinctive style through quiet observation of women, artists and interiors around her.

Sian Eleri reveals the creative processes and passionate life that drove Gwen John’s work and how her refusal to conform, both personally and artistically, resulted in a legacy that resonates powerfully today.

The programme also features exclusive contributions from world-leading Gwen John experts and renowned fashion designer, Dior’s Creative Director Jonathan Anderson, who champions John’s work.

Exhibition

Amgueddfa Cymru’s exhibition will be the biggest retrospective of the Welsh artist’s work, bringing together rarely seen sketches and drawings, the exhibition will reveal the creative processes and passionate life that drove her work.

Chief Executive of Amgueddfa Cymru, Jane Richardson, said: ‘We are delighted to be presenting a landmark exhibition on Gwen John in 2026 and are thrilled that this will be accompanied by a documentary, rightly celebrating this Welsh-born artist in the 150th year since her birth. I’m sure that viewers will be intrigued by Gwen John’s story and hope that many will come and enjoy the exhibition and be inspired by her work.’

Cool Cymru

The second documentary to be commissioned is Wired: How Welsh Music Conquered Britain (w/t) – the story of how a handful of rock bands re-wrote the rule book for Wales and the world.

By the 1990s, Wales was largely written off as a musical backwater, that was until a trailblazing group of young musicians changed this forever.

This two-part documentary series traces the long hard road that Welsh rock music had to travel to overcome partisan politics and prejudice to finally arrive as a major musical force that would make its way around the world.

This was a period that saw first the Manic Street Preachers – and then a host of bands including Catatonia, the Super Furry Animals and Feeder – break through into the charts, and Cwmaman’s Stereophonics emerge as a stadium filling band, who’s recent record tied them with Bob Dylan for nine number one UK albums.

The rise of both a thriving Welsh language music scene and a wave of new working-class guitar bands from south Wales is also a story of how the political and social turmoil in Wales in the 80s fired up a new generation. One which forged a new culture that brought both traditions together to influence new music, art, drama and sport.

Told by the bands and artists who were there at the time, alongside anecdotes from recording studios, stages and green rooms across the globe, this is the story of the decade that birthed Welsh music onto the international stage.

Nick Andrews, Head of Commissioning for BBC Cymru Wales, said: “These exciting new factual commissions highlight our dedication to backing the best homegrown storytelling from Wales. Two very different stories, but both documentaries celebrate the pioneers who have shaped and showcased Welsh art and music on a global stage, shining a spotlight on Wales’ modern history-makers.”

Gwen John and Wired: How Welsh Music Conquered Britain will air on the BBC next year.